Live Shows: Saliva and Drowning Pool | Albuquerque
Santa Fe, NM - Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino - August 29, 2026
About 15 miles north of New Mexico’s capital, Santa Fe, Buffalo Thunder undoubtedly had fans from across the state travel in for the show, including myself. I surely recognized a ton of Albuquerque faces, and a few from my small hometown of Las Vegas, New Mexico. One of the first things I noticed was how diverse the crowd was age-wise. This show was truly a family affair for our community. Longtime fans stood alongside teenagers, as kids ran around the venue, all waiting to hear songs that, like in my experience, have been part of their lives for decades. The energy was high before either band even took the stage, and it never came back down.
Nu-metal legends Drowning Pool opened the night to an already packed house. Ryan McCombs, the band's vocalist, wielded an old-school broadcast-style microphone that looked straight out of Michael Buffer’s personal collection. Even with the venue being predominantly a seated space, McCombs wielded that mic, leading the charge of an audience ready to rumble like it was 2001.
Of course, nothing turned back the clock quite like "Bodies." The band's defining hit still carries an undeniable weight all these years later, and hearing it live alongside a crowd spanning multiple generations was a reminder of just how deeply songs from this era have embedded themselves into the culture. "Bodies" being a real childhood core memory for me, I was instantly transported back to my father’s living room, banging my head with the same veracity as I did back when I had to reach up to hit a light switch. I found myself surprisingly emotional, reminiscing on when my dad would burn mixtape CDs of his favorite tracks for me to listen to while I played my GameCube. Like I’m sure the majority of the crowd experienced along with me, the pool I was drowning in was pure nostalgia.
Guitarist C.J. Pierce was a particular standout throughout Drowning Pool's performance, but some of my favorite moments involving him actually came after the set. Pierce was incredibly generous with his time, sticking around to talk with fan after fan both in-between sets and after the night ended. A heartwarming moment came when he signed a setlist, folded it into a paper airplane, and sent it flying into the crowd to fairly make a lucky fan’s night. I had the opportunity to speak with him as well, albeit briefly, and you could tell he was appreciative of his fans, even after all these years and success.
Saliva did not disappoint in their role as headliners. Their biggest hit, "Click Click Boom," absolutely tore the resort down. Famously featured on a ton of video game soundtracks back in the mid to late 2000s, I was especially excited to finally hear it live. That, along with another famous track, "I Walk Alone," made famous by Drax the Destroyer himself, Dave Bautista, was such a special moment for me and any other WWE fan in the crowd. Being the professional wrestling veteran’s walk out song, it is literally impossible to not get pumped as all hell hearing that riff hit.
They also played a solid amount of covers, furthering the nostalgic experience. Songs like "Rest in Pieces" and their take on Eminem's "Lose Yourself" really facilitated a walk down memory lane for us appreciative old heads in the room. These, along with their plethora of hits off classic albums like Every Six Seconds, no doubt left a ton of fans without a voice by nights end.
The band's star power wasn't concentrated in any one member, either. From the drummer behind the kit to the guitarists on either side of the stage, every member had undeniable drip, looking like somebody’s favorite character in Guitar Hero. Nobody felt like a background player, which made my job as a photographer super easy. Everywhere I pointed my camera, somebody was doing something worth capturing.
New Mexico has a ton of love for these two particular bands, evident not just by the deafening volume of which the crowd sang along, but also in merch sales. I failed to nab up a Drowning Pool tee for my homie back home as they completely sold out before the first song even started. The merch girl told me every shirt was gone within 45 minutes of doors opening. Saliva eventually sold all of their merch offerings too, according to a mid-set thank you from vocalist Bobby Amaru.
By the end of the night, it felt less like two bands revisiting their past and more like proof that the music never really left us. The people who grew up with these bands are still here, and they’re still sharing these songs with the next generation, like my dad did with me. Judging by the energy inside the Buffalo Thunder ballroom, both bands are likely to make another desert stop on tour, and we’ll be here to welcome them just as warmly next time.
